The Truth Behind The Myths

Snekky-Snake

Percy woke up in a cell. He started to roll over, but his head throbbed and he flopped flat on the floor again, groaning.

"Morning, sunshine."

"Shut up, Onyx." Percy threw one of his arms over his head, covering his eyes. "Where are we?"

The wolf-boy's voice sounded from across the hall. "Tartarus, I would assume. We blacked out after using those pearls. I just woke up a few minutes ago."

"I must have hit my head on something...." Percy sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head. When he finally opened his eyes, he was a bit surprised at how dark it was.

He couldn't see Onyx in the cell it sounded like he was in.

"Where are you?"

"Back corner."

Percy squinted. "I still don't see you."

A human figure stepped into view. Percy raised his eyebrows.

The only real way to describe Onyx's human form was 'regal'. He had broad shoulders and a muscled chest. Long, chiseled legs and sculpted arms. And his face... high cheekbones, a strong Roman nose, piercing golden eyes and shaggy black hair. His eyebrows were set low, making it seem as if he was always contemplating something.

He was older than Percy thought. Physically twenty-six or so. The way he carried himself shouted that he held a high position.

"Mom's gonna be pissed." Onyx shook his head.

"Your mom?" Percy asked, then almost immediately connected the dots. "You're Lupa's son."

Onyx nodded slowly. "Adrius Lycan. You can still call me Onyx, if you'd like. It is my wolf form's proper name."

"Why did you come with me to camp?"

"Venus' little cover was easy to get past. We all knew you were a son of Poseidon almost immediately, but Mom said you needed asylum so we should allow it. She did ask me to keep track of you though."

"And now you're stuck with me in Tartarus." Percy sighed and sat on the small bench in his cell. "Great."

"We're facing something ancient." Adrius said quietly. "Something evil. I can smell it."

Percy nodded. "We're stuck in here though...."

Adrius grinned and held up his hands. One fingertip on each hand elongated into a thin claw. "Au contraire."

"Since when do you know French?"

Adrius began to work on the lock to his cell. "I've been alive for half a dozen decades. I had to do something."

Percy snorted. "Same here, only my 'something' was unfortunately becoming an assassin against my will."

Adrius didn't answer, but his head shot up and he narrowed his eyes.

"Someone's coming," He whispered, moving away from the door to his cell and morphing back into a wolf. "The one from before."

"Medusa?"

Onyx bobbed his head, a wolf's approximation of a nod, then hopped up onto the bench in his cell and laid down, watching down the hall.

The gorgon stepped into view. She was wearing her heavy headscarf, but Percy averted his eyes from her face anyway.

"The Master wishes to see you." She sounded fairly repulsed about saying that.

Percy filed that away for future reference.

Medusa opened his cell, shifting to reveal a knife strapped to her hip. "I trust you to come quietly. If not, I will force you."

He sighed and got up. When she walked in and held up the rope to tie his hands, he held his arms out, tense.

Medusa smacked his forearms sharply. "None of that."

Percy gritted his teeth and loosened his muscles. So much for that.

Medusa tied his hands together, then made a hissing noise down the hall. Two Dracanae slithered into view and took up guard on either side of Percy.

"The wolf stays." Medusa grumbled as a third slithered out of the hall and went to get Onyx. She backed off.

The wolf looked up at Percy, flashing teeth in an almost human grin. He winked when Medusa turned away.

"Come with me, son of Poseidon. Time to meet the Master."

-------------------------

"You sent him to Tartarus?!"

The gods shifted uncomfortably. Annabeth glared at her mother.

Bucky noticed Zeus getting agitated and shifted his grip on his gun. Annabeth kept her focus solely on Athena.

"You monumental idiot! No matter what Medusa may say, they'll kill him down there!"

"A sacrifice had to be made!" Athena finally spoke. "It was him or the world."

"THE WORLD CAN BURN FOR ALL I CARE!" Annabeth screamed. Something seemed to break inside her and she collapsed against Steve, sobbing. "I just want Percy back...."

[A/N so... the title... I'm a meme and I'm not sorry]